Chapter Eight
“Well, you hit the jackpot. You must have been born under a lucky star,” the nurse said, breezing through the doorway with a folder of papers in her hand, allowing the door to close behind her.
Ally paused in brushing her hair, trying to get some order to it without the help of much of her makeup or other sundries that were in a suitcase in a storage room. “Jackpot?”
“You’re being released a day sooner than first thought and that is good.
Second, you get to stay at the Primrose Inn…
which is just gorgeous and romantic as all get out.
But the real prize is that you’re being chauffeured to your new digs by none other than our hunk of a sheriff himself.
In fact, he’s waiting just outside at the nurses’ station for you.
Too bad you don’t need a private duty nurse to come along and help you out, because it would be an honor to jump right in and raise my hand to volunteer. ”
Ally gave a knowing smile. “I’m sure it would be a hardship to volunteer and all. But I don’t think it would have much to do with me. Besides, you’re a happily married woman or so the nurse on duty told me last night.”
“Too true. You got me there. My Roy is a pretty good guy…have him all broke in and don’t have the energy to do that all over again even with someone as gorgeous as Matt Parker.
” She grinned. “If you’re ready, we’ll go over your discharge papers and appointments for checkups in a week or so.
” Ally perched on the side of the bed and Taylor went over the papers and answered any questions.
There was a knock on the door. Taylor gathered the folder and walked over to open it. The sheriff stood there, his hands on the handles of a wheelchair. “I told Jimmy, the orderly, that I would take it from here. He didn’t seem to mind. Hope neither of you object.”
“No objection here.” The nurse grinned again and looked over to Ally, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.
“None here,” Ally agreed, while wishing that she had been able to do a bit more with her appearance.
The bruise was smaller but purpling even more.
It didn’t exactly go with the dark green pullover sweater she had arrived at the hospital wearing, coupled with the same jeans.
Taylor had supplied shampoo and other toiletries so at least she’d been able to shower and look a little presentable.
She bent to try to get her remaining tennis shoe on her foot but it was slow going with her head still sore. A grimace replaced the smile.
“Here, let me.” The sheriff was across the room and taking the sneaker from her hand in a swift move. He went down on one knee, his hand taking control of her sock-covered foot.
“A real Prince Charming there. You’ve been practicing, Sheriff Parker?” Taylor was watching from the doorway, and she shot a quick wink over to Ally.
To his credit, Matt didn’t look up but took care of the task at hand.
Only once the shoe was on and the lace tied with a small flourish did he glance up from his kneeling position, and Ally felt the full force of a Matt Parker smile…
for a couple of seconds…and then it faded behind the countenance of a sheriff who became all business again.
He pushed into a standing position, turning to move the wheelchair closer to her side of the bed.
“Thank you for your help with the shoe, but I don’t need for you to push me in a wheelchair. Save it for the patients in here who might need it.”
“None of that,” Taylor interjected, and her demeanor took on her professional stance on the subject.
“Hospital policy. Get a free ride outside. Enjoy it while you can.” She propped the door open and then picked up the small case holding what few items Ally had in her room, along with the bouquet of flowers from Jillie’s visit.
The trio left the room and headed down the hallway to the elevator.
Ally couldn’t help but note the glances from the staff behind the desk.
Some were covert in their surveillance, while others were clearly interested in watching the patient getting personalized treatment from their prized lawman.
There was one who didn’t bother to mask her disapproval.
Ally felt the chill in the sharp gaze sent like an arrow straight through her without any attempt to temper it.
She felt an instant thanks inside that their paths had never crossed while she had been a patient.
And was not likely to come across her path again.
Once outside, Taylor waited while Matt helped Ally get settled in the front seat of the large white pickup with the emblem and markings of sheriff of Brock County.
The door closed and the next leg of Ally’s journey was beginning.
She had no idea what it would encompass but she longed for something familiar in that moment.
A final wave of thanks at the nurse and the vehicle moved away from the parking lot.
Ally used the time while the sheriff made a call to his office to take in the tidy little streets they made their way down.
The houses were situated on lawns that were more golden in color than green now, but all were well-kept.
Flower beds were evident with some greenery but obviously awaiting blooms in warmer weather.
Tall trees, some with leaves and some without, were spread throughout and lined the roadway in the area that soon led to the center of what she supposed was the town of Destiny’s River itself.
A tall stone building sat quite imposing in the center of an expanse of grass and trees.
Sidewalks led from the street on all four sides to wide steps that had people entering and exiting as they drove past. To her surprise, the vehicle slowed and pulled into a reserved space in front of the building.
Matt did not turn off the engine, but a tall, younger man in a uniform that denoted he was also a law officer was clearly coming down the sidewalk to meet them. Matt pushed a button, and his window lowered.
“Good morning, Sheriff,” the younger man said to his boss and then he saw Ally, and he greeted her with a smile and a touch of two fingers to the brim of the cowboy hat he wore in a move she had seen in a few westerns that she and Annie would watch on Saturday afternoons on television.
It was easy to return his smile with that memory in mind. “Ma’am.”
“Ally Jones, this is Deputy Warren Grover. I wanted to take a moment to introduce the two of you. In case, for whatever reason, you need to reach me and I’m not available, then Deputy Grover will be the one you’ll most likely be talking to—and he’ll do whatever he can to help you when I’m out of pocket.
He’s on a list of phone numbers that you’ll find on the table at Primrose Inn. ”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Deputy Grover. I hope I won’t be a bother while I’m here.”
“No bother at all, Miss Jones. We want to make sure you have a good stay while you’re with us.”
Matt put the vehicle into gear. “I’ll be back for the council meeting, and we have the interview panel for the first county prosecutor applicants this afternoon, too.
I’ll be back after I see Miss Jones is settled in.
” They backed out of the space and the deputy gave a friendly wave of his hand in her direction.
“Everyone is so friendly. Is that the case with the entire town?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“Well, I’d say it was pretty normal. People around here—and in general in small towns like ours, even though it is the county seat and busier than regular towns, people—will take a person at face value.
Treat you with respect until you do something to lose that respect.
They make good neighbors and good friends.
Always eager to help out if they can. Don’t feel like you’re under a microscope or anything of that sort.
They just find a newcomer in their midst and want to get to know you. ”
“Your town, what I’ve seen of it, is very pretty.
I had it described to me over and over quite a few times by my friend.
She may have made her home for many years in New York City, but her heart seemed to have been also very fond of this place.
” Ally stopped there. She hoped she had not opened the door for questions about Annie.
The note she’d left Ally had more or less asked her to keep what she was doing for her to herself.
As such, she wanted to honor her promise to the woman.
“You and your sisters have lived here for a while as I understand it from Tori?”
“Tori came here first several years ago. She found a place to stay at the Primrose Inn, which was owned by a sweet lady who basically took her under her wing and welcomed her to Destiny’s River.
Tori decided it would make a good grounding point…
a home…for all of us. We were in the foster care system for a while and then as each of us aged out, we decided how to make our paths.
Tori kept the light on here, encouraging and praying that those paths would lead here.
And so, they did, for myself and for my other sister, Cassie.
You’ll meet her soon enough. She and her husband are on a horse-buying trip, but they should be back next week.
I’m sure Tori has told her all about you. ”
“And you have a brother who is not here.”
“Right. He’s still out there making his way in spite of the many words, calls, texts—you name it—of gentle and now more pointed encouragement from my two female siblings.
” He grinned at that, and Ally felt her breathing do a bit of a hiccup at the very pleasant sight.
It softened his usual all-business countenance that she had come to expect, so when this side of him popped up, it made the moment memorable.
She wasn’t used to having anyone…especially a man…
stir that amount of interest to be noticed by her brain, not for a long time.